International Men’s Health Week: Reach out, seek help
Research has shown that men are generally less likely to reach out for help with mental health issues than women, which is something that this year’s International Men’s Health Week (10th-16th June) seeks to redress.
Cultural expectations of ‘manliness’ and unhelpful phrases like ‘man up’ often lead to men bottling up issues that affect them, which can be a key factor in explaining why a mental health issue like problem gambling can often take so long to uncover and resolve among the male population.
EPIC Global Solutions have long advocated for open and honest conversations around issues of this nature. We are always keen to reinforce that you’re not alone in the personal battles that disordered forms of gambling create; it’s only by opening up to others that you can come to realise how many other men – and women – have walked the same path.
That’s why we’re backing the key message of International Men’s Health Week, which was first established globally in 2002 to align with an existing Men’s Health Week that had been instigated by US Congress back in 1994, and are releasing a series of content this week with the benefit of lived experience to explain why men should talk about their issues and reach out for support when they need it.
Members of our team that have lived the life of secrecy and seen the crushing effect it had on their mental health will be talking about how they were impacted by suffering in silence with gambling addiction, as well as looking at how things started to improve once they moved beyond the culturally-engrained stance of keeping their problems bottled up inside them.
The videos will be available across our social platforms throughout the week – keep a close eye on X, LinkedIn and Instagram for new daily pieces.
As ever, if you are at a point with your problem gambling that needs help beyond the realms of your family or social circle, we are here to remind you that specialist support is available – click here to check out a range of fantastic organisations who are available to help you on your first steps to recovery.
EPIC Global Solutions work with institutions around the world to try and proactively prevent problem gambling, providing consultancy, education and training to help create a culture where individuals know that they can talk freely about their relationship with gambling and know where to turn if they start to recognise signs of harm in their behaviour.
